


We Built This Home (And They Burned It Down)

by Troodon



Series: I'll Drown Them In Blood For You, My Dear [4]
Category: Dishonored (Video Games)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Other, Revenge Tour ft. Jessamine Kaldwin, The Empress Is Awake Your Shit Is Fucked, Torture, What Have I Done, shit's fucked
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-18
Updated: 2017-05-17
Packaged: 2018-10-20 09:06:03
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,561
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10659381
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Troodon/pseuds/Troodon
Summary: Delilah has come.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> BEFORE YOU BEGIN: Do you have tissues? No? Go get them.

It was raining outside. Like it had been the day they interred Emily, two years ago. Jessamine closed her eyes and pressed closer to Corvo under the covers of her bed. Today, she’d declared a Day of Mourning and closed the Tower. No courtiers, no petitioners, no paperwork or trade negotiations. Today, Jessamine and Corvo were going to mourn their daughter in peace.

In the year since the coup, Sokolov and some other philosopher the Whalers knew had found a cure for the Rat Plague. Jessamine had immediately started a district-by-district sweep, rounding up all of the weepers and other infected individuals and giving them the cure.

Thomas had sent most of the Whalers out to different Isles to collect information and build new contacts. The young man had swept through the court like the assassin he was. In this case, he felled those plotting treason with blackmail and veiled threats instead of blades and poisons. 

He also took to court life incredibly well, though that might have been because of his good looks. Or perhaps the trail of devoted lovers he left behind him as he casually seduced people for information. Jessamine had tried to confront him about it, trying to carefully and tactfully explain that he needn’t go to such lengths to procure information. Thomas had blinked at her, which was practically flabbergasted by his standards, and then had actually burst out laughing.

“Your Majesty,” he had managed, once his chuckles had died down. “This is the second time someone has held this conversation with me. When Master Daud-” For a second, his voice had broke, but he mastered himself quickly. “I mean, when I was recruited, I’d misinterpreted the offer as something a bit more carnal. I, of course was corrected immediately. A… friend explained the same thing you just did, though in much cruder terms.” Thomas had smiled at her, warmly. “Trust me when I say I’m not doing anything I wouldn’t want in the first place. I’m staying safe.”

Jessamine had bit back the frankly ridiculous maternal urge to hug him and nodded. “Do try not to make any powerful enemies, Thomas,” she’d warned, giving him a warm smile instead. “Let me know if there are any pursuers who become too aggressive. I have repeatedly made my opinion on that sort of behaviour known time and again.” Thomas had nodded, bowed and left.

Now he, Cedric and Gerome were in the Tower. Jessamine knew they were respectfully remaining out of their sight during today.

One long-fingered hand carded through her hair. Jessamine turned her head into the touch, smiling weakly at the Outsider.

“I wasn’t sure if I was invited today,” he murmured, brushing a kiss against her temple. “But I wanted to offer what comfort I could.” Corvo reached out a hand over Jessamine and tangled his fingers with the Outsider’s.

“Thank you,” he mumbled. Jessamine rolled over to press her forehead against the god’s hip.

“I did have another reason for coming here,” the Outsider said, reaching over to comb his fingers through Corvo’s hair now. “I will have to be absent for a while. The Void is acting… oddly.”

Jessamine felt Corvo stiffen at her back. If the Outsider felt the need to warn them, then it was likely going to be months until they saw him again.

“Is it dangerous?” Jessamine remembered what it was like when the Void had started looking at her for a new avatar. She suppressed a shiver at the memory.

The Outsider regarded her fondly. “No,” he reassured her. “It just needs reminding who its master is.” He vanished in a swirl of darkness and reappeared, standing by her bed. “I will see you once it is stable enough for me to leave, my dear.” He pressed another kiss to Jessamine’s lips and brushed a hand against Corvo’s cheek, then he vanished.

Jessamine sighed, already missing the momentary distraction the Outsider had been. She rolled over so that she was nose-to-nose with Corvo and closed her eyes. Today was going to be a quiet day of mourning their daughter.

*

Jessamine was woken to the sounds of screaming.

The sun was beginning to set, painting everything gold. Outside, through the open balcony doors, Jessamine heard the sound of cracking wood and faint, though clearly terrified, screams. Corvo was already up, buckling on his holster for gun and blade. He tossed Jessamine her armoured clothing and sword. With quick, sharp movements, Jessamine tugged it on over her sleeping clothes. And not a moment too soon.

A man in the outfit of the Serkonan Grand Guard burst into the room. Before he could take a step, Corvo leveled his pistol and shot the man through the eye.

“Let’s go,” he said, moving past the corpse and checking the hallway. “We’ll need to get out a different way. The safe room isn’t complete yet.”

Jessamine nodded and followed him, keeping low and quiet. The hallways were deserted, though she could hear shouts and screams echoing from elsewhere in the Tower.

This was not just the actions of a few malcontents. This was a coup.

“Your Majesty,” a familiar voice whispered. Corvo Blinked so that he was in-between Jessamine and the speaker. Thomas held up his hand, waiting for Corvo to lower his weapon before he continued.

“It’s a coup. The Duke of Serkonos came marching into the throne room and brought with him a woman claiming to be your older sister. Then the Grand Guard and even some of your own officers were slaughtering anyone who objected. We need to get you out of here. Now.”

Corvo nodded. “We’re going through the hidden docks. Come with us.”

Thomas silently nodded and kept close. “We never even heard whispers of this woman before. There were, of course, reports of corruption and discontent in Serkonos, but that’s been standard since Luca Abele took power. But this woman had an alliance with us before she mysteriously vanished. Now she has returned, backed by powerful witches. I’m sorry, Majesty. I failed you.”

“We’ll talk about failures later, Thomas. First, I’m getting my throne back.”

“Jess,” Corvo growled. “Our first priority should be getting you to safety. Then we can come up with a strategy to take back Dunwall.”

“Corvo,” Jessamine began, but she was cut off as a familiar voice reached her ears.

Somewhere in the throne room, someone was torturing Cedric.

Instantly, Jessamine dove for the shadows and Jumped. She came to the throne room to find Cedric kneeling on the floor, thorned vines wrapped around his arms and digging in hard enough to leave bloody furrows in his skin. A woman, tall and slender with pale skin and dark hair stood over him, running proprietary fingers through his hair. Cedric was trying to twist away, whining through his teeth.

“Now, then,” the woman purred. “Tell me where the false Empress is, or I’ll take your other eye. It would be such a shame to destroy such a pretty face, but I really must know.”

“Oh fuck,” Cedric whimpered. “Oh, Void. My eye. You… Fuck you, you rutting whor-”

There was a sharp crack as the woman backhanded him. Cedric cried out and twisted with the blow, revealing a ruined pit where his right eye had been. Jessamine snarled and lunged forwards, plunging her sword into the woman’s chest.

“Here I am, you bitch,” she snarled, getting in-between Cedric and the witch.

The woman straightened and tugged the blade from her chest. Jessamine blinked as she just tossed it over her shoulder and shrugged off a mortal wound like it was nothing. “Now, now, dear Jess,” she said with infuriating familiarity. “Is that the way you greet your long-lost sister?”

“I have no sister,” Jessamine growled, not daring to take her eyes off of the woman. “Who are you?”

“Why, you don’t remember me? It’s your dear childhood playmate, Delilah.” Delilah swayed forwards and reached out to cup Jessamine’s cheek.

Jessamine jerked away, coldly furious. “I don’t care who you are,” she snapped. “What the hell are you doing in my throne room?”

“Taking back my throne from a pretender,” Delilah purred. “You’ve held the throne for too long,  _ little sister _ . And all because of lies.”

“I’m not listening to your lies,  _ Delilah _ .” Movement in her peripheral caught her attention. Jessamine glanced over to see other, sickly-pale women advancing on her.

Jessamine inhaled to use her Voice on them, order them to disperse, when a blue-black blur nearly decapitated three of the women.

Corvo darted forwards to Jessamine’s side.

“What the hell did I say about going on ahead?” He looked furious. Jessamine smiled grimly at him.

“Majesty!” Jessamine turned at the shout to see Thomas toss her a blade. She caught it neatly, opened her mouth to thank him, but the words died on her tongue.

A vine, thick around as her torso, erupted from the ground and caught Thomas in the chest. He flew across the room to hit the opposite wall, hard. Jessamine couldn’t hear any bones break, but it was clear that the impact had been significant as his body fell limply to the ground.

“ _ Thomas!” _ Jessamine took a step towards him, praying to find sign of life, but didn’t get any farther as a terrified scream came from behind her. She whirled to find Cedric being dragged helplessly through the side doors, clawing at the ground and terrified as more thorny vines whipped out of the mass to engulf him.

“Jess,  _ run!” _

She turned again, feeling helpless and terrified. Corvo, to her horror, was rapidly turning to stone in front of her eyes.

“ _ Corvo!”  _ She screamed in anguish. Delilah laughed and started to advance.

“Oh my dear, darling, baby sister. What are you going to do? Your protectors are all dead or will be soon. Now it’s your tu-”

She was cut off as a cylinder rolled to a stop in front of her. There was a deafening explosion and a blinding flash. Jessamine felt something wrap around her middle and haul her off of her feet. She thrashed, thinking it another vine, but whatever it was just shoved her headfirst into a narrow space that limited her movements. Seconds later, hands were on her rump, pushing her forwards.

Sound was returning to her under the ringing of her ears. Almost immediately, she identified the rhythmic sound of someone cursing under their breath.

Jessamine blinked rapidly, trying to clear her vision. “Gerome?”

“Yeah,” he answered. He sounded shaky. “We need to get you the fuck out of here. Keep goin’ forward.”

“No,” Jessamine protested, weakly. “No, Gerome, we have to go back. Gerome, she has Thomas, Corvo. She took  _ Ced-” _

“ _ I know! _ ” Gerome’s voice cracked. She heard him inhale shakily behind her, then he gave her another harsh shove. “Keep. Moving.”

Jessamine swallowed hard and continued to crawl through the ventilation ducts. “We’ll come back for them,” she promised. “I swear it.”

“I know,” Gerome said, softer this time. “Now shut up. Sound carries through here.”

They emerged from the ventilation duct into the sunset. Gerome pulled her around a corner, up a stack of boxes, and along the rooftops until they climbed into an abandoned house. He immediately began rummaging through the closet.

“Put your hair into a braid, an’ put these on,” he commanded, tossing her some filthy clothes. “You’re my sister an’ we’re goin’ home after a day of work, y’understand?”

Jessamine nodded and began unbuttoning her top. Gerome turned red and spun around to give her some privacy. In other circumstances, she’d tease him about it, but Cedric’s panicked, maimed face kept flashing through her mind.

After a few minutes, Jessamine was ready. Gerome turned back around, made some minor adjustments to her disguise, and then offered her his arm.

“There,” he said with forced cheer. “You’re lookin’ like a real workin’ class lady now.”

Jessamine was about to say something equally cheerful, when she heard the sound of a City Watchman outside.

“Attention citizens of Dunwall,” he began. “The former Empress, Jessamine Kaldwin, has become a traitor to the crown, and usurped the true Empresses rightful place. It is now punishable by death to harbour fugitives. If you see her, you are to turn her in. Immediately.”

Gerome growled. “Fuck, they move fast. Let’s go.”

He ushered her out of the building and down into an alleyway. They quickly walked down towards the docks.

“There’s a ship still there,” he whispered into her ear. “You can commandeer it and we can get the fuck out. It’ll be a bit of a swim, but we can make it.” The two of them blended in with the other civilians heading for home and moved towards the docks.

“Halt,” a guardsman said, barring their entrance to the docks. “No one is permitted here. Get back to your… Wait, is that the Empr-”

He didn’t get a chance to finish, as Gerome punched him full in the face.

“ _ Run for it, _ ” he yelled, and sprinted with her down to the piers. Behind them, Jessamine heard shouts beginning to rise up.

“Fuck,” Gerome said, shoving Jessamine in front of him and forcing her head down. A second later, she heard the crack of a pistol being fired, and felt the breeze of a bullet whiz past her arm.

Suddenly she was shoved hard off the pier. Jessamine hit the water hard, getting it up her nose. She flailed to the surface, coughing.

“Gerome, what-?” she began. Gerome just smiled at her. It lit up his face, transforming him from a rather ugly thug to charming man.

“Looks like you gotta do this yourself, girl,” he said. He pulled a cigarette out of a pouch and turned towards the approaching guards. “Swim for the boat, Void damn you. And good luck.”

“No, no, please no,” Jessamine begged, but Gerome just waved and swaggered towards the guards.

“Well,” he demanded, grinning. “What the fuck are you waiting fo-?”

The crack of a pistol cut him off, and Gerome crumpled to the dock.

Jessamine sobbed and dove before the guards could see her. With strong strokes, she made her way to the boat. No one saw her when she climbed up the side and rolled over the rail.

No one, but the occupant of the boat.

“What the fu- Your Majesty?” The woman hurried forward and drew Jessamine out of sight of the docks. Jessamine didn’t wait for her to speak, just snarled and got in the woman’s face.

“I am commandeering this boat, we are sailing to Karnaca,  _ and if you argue I will kill you with my bare hands _ .”

The woman swallowed. “Yes, Your Majesty. I was going to contact you as it was. I was going to warn you, about the coup, but the Spymaster…”

Jessamine growled. “You can explain later. We need to leave. Now.”

The woman nodded. “Yes, ma’am. I suggest you wait belowdecks. They might search the ship at the harbour mouth.”

She led Jessamine below and to a hidden space in the wall. It was cramped and pitch black, but Jessamine fit.

As the engine vibrated through the hull, Jessamine closed her eyes and allowed herself to sob. She cried for her home, for Corvo, for the Whalers.

Beneath the waves, in the dark, a usurped Empress wept herself to exhaustion.

*

She dreamt of the Void. It was fractured, the ground crumbling and the light dimmed. In the distance, she could hear the mournful cries of a whale being butchered.

“Outsider?” She called.

There was no answer.

Jessamine began to wander around the Void. She’d never felt truly comfortable here. Not since the Void itself tried to speak to her. She clambered over broken stone, edged around buoys and floating pools of ocean water, and stumbled into a garden. Rose bushes grew untended, their thorns long and wicked. The branches dipped to trail into a pond choked with algae. The air was thick with the cloying scent of roses and rot. Jessamine covered her nose and stumbled back a step into a solid body.

“Jessamine,” the Outsider breathed and pulled her into a hug. “I was so blind. You need to leave, now.”

“I am tired of being told to run,” Jessamine snapped. “What am I supposed to run from now?”

The Outsider looked over her shoulder and stiffened. “ _ Her _ ,” he said. Jessamine turned her head to see a statue of Delilah looking at them. There was a rustling, like the sound of rising wind blowing through the branches. As one, all of the roses turned and  _ looked _ at them. The Outsider hissed and flung the both of them off the platform. Jessamine didn’t even have time to scream before the air rippled around them and she found herself chilled to the bone and standing once more on bare black stone.

“Outsider, what-?”

“Jessamine, listen to me.” The god caught her face in an immovable grip and forced her to meet his fathomless black eyes. “You need to go to Karnaca. The woman known as Meagan Foster wants to find Doctor Hypatia, and you will need her help. Find her, and you’ll find me. The Void is no longer safe for you, do you understand? It’s  _ Hers _ now.”

With that, he shoved her hard, and Jessamine jerked awake in her bunk.

She lowered her face into her hands and bit back more tears.

“Fuck,” she whispered. What the hell had Delilah done?


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry for the delay you guys. I was out of the country visiting dreabean, then I was sick, then quit my hell job. It's been quite the month. Thank you for your patience!

Jessamine spent much of the journey suffering. Apparently, one can suddenly become seasick. Thankfully, Meagan had some ginger candies to suck on. Apparently, Anton also suffered from seasickness.

On the day they arrived in Karnaca, Meagan took Jessamine aside.

“Listen,” she said. “Your face is on most of the coins used across the isles. I know no one is going to expect to see you, but you need to keep yourself disguised just to be safe. Here.”

Jessamine took the scarf and examined it. Blue, with gold print. “A little ostentatious, don’t you think?”

“Not particularly. With the dust kicked up by the mining operations, most have taken to covering their face. They’re even making it into a fashion statement, so you’ll blend right in.”

Jessamine shrugged and tied it around her mouth and nose.

“I assume you know why Sokolov was here?” Meagan asked. Jessamine nodded. With the whale oil shortage being what it was, and having a close relationship with the Outsider, she sent Sokolov out to find an alternate to whale oil. Karnaca had cut its whale oil consumption in half in two years, a remarkable feat.

Meagan continued. “While we were here, we came across rumours of a coup in the making. Sokolov was just tying up some loose ends when he was… captured. There’s been a sickness in Karnaca, and it’s been growing.”

Jessamine frowned. There  _ had _ been reports of issues with the bloodflies, and an increase in terrible crimes and murders. She'd ordered the current Duke to handle the situation, but he had apparently disregarded her orders and allowed the corruption in the Grand Guard to take root.

“Has the Plague spread?”

“No,” Meagan said, looking disturbed. She led Jessamine to the skiff and lowered them into the water. “It's one of the mind. No outward symptoms, but those infected slowly descend into violent madness. It started in the Dust District, and expanded onwards from there.”

“Does anyone know the cause?” Jessamine breathed through the nausea as the skiff hit swells.

“No. Doctor Hypatia was looking for a cure, but she was locked into the Addermire Institute and we've heard nothing from her since.”

“I need to go to Addermire,” Jessamine said grimly. “I have a contact there.”

“That's also the direction I saw Sokolov taken.” She directed the skiff towards shore. “I know he’s an old friend of yours. Please, try to find out where he was taken.”

“I will,” Jessamine said, climbing out of the boat and onto the dock. “Anything else?”

“Find the black market,” Meagan answered. “You can get supplies there. Just look for two hands painted onto walls.”

Jessamine nodded and checked her gear. “I’ll see you by Addermire, then.” She strode from the skiff, telling herself grimly that the Empress of the Isles does  _ not _ vomit all over the docks.

“Welcome to Karnaca, stranger,” one dockworker said, eyeing Jessamine appreciatively. Jessamine smiled at him and nodded, and trying not to gag at the stench from the gutted whale carcasses.

“Where do I find the carriage house,” she asked.

“It's up the hill and to the west,  _ Bella _ ,” he said with a wink.

“ _ Grazie, _ ” she thanked him, causing him to clutch his heart comically and fall back against the wall.

“And she even speaks the language,” he said, beaming at her. “I'm off work in an hour,  _ Bella, _ if you want to see the sights with a native.”

Jessamine laughed. “Perhaps later,” she said, climbing the stairs and out onto the Karnacan streets.

First, she decided, she needed supplies. Jessamine wandered the dockyard, glancing subtly into doorways and alcoves for anything that matched Meagan's descriptions. Finally, after walking the length of the docks, she caught sight of two hands painted in black, with an arrow below.nodding to herself, she slipped into the building.

Inside, there was nothing to indicate it was part of an unlawful operation. It certainly appeared lived-in, with pictures up on the wall and stairs worn by use. Jessamine took a deep breath and began to climb.

Soon, she was leaving the black market dealer's with a few stun mines and a full pouch of sleep darts. Her nerves were on edge, a feeling caught from the hunted behaviourof the owner.

Before she could get past the first landing, someone called out to her.

“Psst! Hey, c’mere.”

Jessamine peered around until she saw the open window. She ducked through.

Lounging on a discarded couch was a gangly woman smoking a cigarillo. She gestured Jessamine over.

“Hey gorgeous,” she said in a nasal, raspy voice. “You look like someone who's up to no good. How’d you like a job?”

Jessamine raised an eyebrow. “Do you offer work to anyone who passed by?” She asked, bemused. “I could report you to the Guard.”

The woman laughed. “The Void you will,” she said. “You’re Trouble. And I need a woman who's trouble. Anyways, the Guard will just arrest you on sight for carrying a weapon openly and having your face hidden. Now, you want the job or not?”

“Sure,” Jessamine said. “But I'm not doing it for free.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “Of course not. What's your price?”

“I need to get into Addermire. Can you make that happen?”

“I can get my boys on it,” the woman said with a tilt of her head. “I need you to find a man for me.”

Jessamine quirked a brow. “I doubt a woman with your looks would need help with that,” she said with a wink.

The woman blinked, then threw her head back in a hearty laugh.

“Oh, I like you,” she said, looking at Jessamine as if seeing her for the first time. “Mindy Blanchard.” She held out a callused hand for Jessamine to shake.

“Jess Attano,” Jessamine said, clasping Mindy's hand.

“Any relation to the Royal Protector?” Mindy asked with a teasing grin.

“No,” Jessamine answered, ignoring the pain in her heart. “It was my husband's name.”

“Ah,” Mindy said, comprehension dawning. “I'm sorry for your loss.”

“My thanks.”

“So, down to business. A friend of mine was taken by the Overseer outpost here.”

“I thought the Abbey had been dissolved,” Jessamine said. “Especially with all of the scandals, Whitecliff crumbling into the sea, two High Overseers dead in as many months…”

“They have in most places. This is one of the last holdouts, and they're pulling out all the stops to look good. Unfortunately, this means capturing innocent men and using them as examples.”

Memories of Abantes’ terrified face ran through her mind.

“I'll get your man back,” she said, grimly.

“One more thing,” Mindy said. “He may not have survived. In either case, bring him to the cellar beneath the dentist's office.”

Jessamine nodded, and slipped away.

She knew as soon as she stepped into hostile territory. The Grand Guard’s presence increased threefold, and she caught a man getting tossed through one of Anton’s Walls of Light. Jessamine stepped back into the shadows of an alley, furious with herself for not reacting in time to save him. Another failure on her shoulders.

There were too many Grand Guard on the streets. Jessamine backtracked and glared up at the buildings. The Karnacan sun was too high in the sky, reducing shadows to useless pools. She needed to find some accessible shadows to Jump through.

“We can’t go through there. I’m not getting stung to death.”

Jessamine busied herself looking over the wares of the market stall, listening in.

“We need to get past the Wall, Karl,” a woman argued. Jessamine peered at the trio, two men and a woman, out of the corner of her eye.

“Damn it, Maya, there's a Void-damned _ corpse _ in the window. Why do you think we'd get any farther?”

“Alright, alright. We'll find another way.”

They walked off, leaving Jessamine to calculate the odds.

As soon as she found the corpse in question, Jessamine heard the telltale buzzing of bloodflies. Corvo had talked about them.

“ _ We used to throw rocks at their nests as kids. Just stay low and quiet, and they won't bother you.” _

Jessamine gently tugged the body out from the window, and slipped past.

The interior seemed to be some sort of bar. Over near the bar was a faintly-glowing bloodfly nest. Jessamine hugged the wall, heading towards the corpse in the corner. She carefully picked up the bottle of high-proof liquor and cut a strip from the corpse’s shirt. She grabbed a lighter from the man’s coat pocket, stuffed the scrap of cloth in the neck of the bottle and set it alight.

The Morley Insurrection taught them quite a bit about improvised bombs.

With a gust of heat and light,the paper nest exploded into flames. Jessamine sheilded her face and got to work making a few more Morley Cocktails. She could hear the sound of more bloodflies in the other rooms.

One for the bloodflies on the stairs. Another for those making a nest in the bodies in the room above (Jessamine had to take a moment to dry heave at the nest forming in the woman’s abdomen.) Another for the one in the apartment next door. Jessamine breathed a sigh of relief to see a door out of the humming building.

From the shadows of the building, she Jumped to the balcony across the way. Then from there to the rooftops. She could see the painted red sandstone of the Overseer compound from here. Jessamine’s lip curled in disgust. Always have to be the gaudiest building, she thought to herself. Likely built on the backs of the common folk, demanding tithes for the Abbey, then spending it on fine wine while the rest of the Empire suffers.

She leapt to the balcony, landing silently. Inside, she could hear two Overseers discussing the music boxes, and made a mental note to ask Piero if the sound could somehow be turned to her advantage instead. When one of the Overseers moved off to pray, she Jumped behind the one left behind and caught him in a chokehold, hoping his brother didn’t overhear. As soon as the man went limp, she lowered him to the floor and began silently canvassing the building. There was one man sitting behind a desk in the next room, but Jessamine didn’t need anything there.

Upstairs, then.

As she climbed the stairs, she paused, hearing voices.

“This heretic’s body is important,even if I don’t fully understand the situation. We’ll wait for the Vice Overseer.”

Ah, this must have been Mindy’s friend. Jessamine sighed at the notion of having to carry a body for blocks, but it had to be done. She slipped upstairs, and into one of the vacant rooms. She had to hold back her automatic recoil at seeing the two rats squeaking along the floor. Even years after, the memories of the Rat Plague and Granny Rags were sharp. She suspected most Dunwall citizens shared the same reaction to seeing something small and furry dart across the tiles.

Jessamine waited until the Overseers finished their conversation. One of them left, to go somewhere else, and she waited until the sound of his boots faded away. From there, she could easily knock out the remaining Overseer and rifle through his pockets until she found the key.

“I’m sorry,” she said to Amadeo, collecting his things and putting them in her various pouches. “You didn’t deserve the death you were dealt.” She hoisted the body onto her shoulder and climbed out over the rooftops. The dentist’s office was an easy find, what with the sign right outside. Jessamine dropped down into the stairwell and carried Amadeo over to Mindy.

“Hey, you got him,” Mindy said, leaning on a shovel. “Just put it down in the hole.”

Jessamine gently deposited the body in the shallow grave.

“I have some of his affects,” she said, pulling out the coin, note, and weaponry. Mindy’s eyebrows rose. She leaned back a little and whistled at someone at the door. Jessamine turned to look, but they were already gone.

“Most people would have kept the coin,” she said. “But I guess needing coin is new to the dethroned Empress.”

“You know who I am?” Jessamine demanded. “How?”

Mindy barked a laugh, pocketing the things and beginning to bury the body. “I hear things. Anyway, I know a thing or two about keeping secrets. I sent off one of my boys to turn off the electricity to the tracks. They’ll be safe to walk on.”

“Thank you, Mindy,” Jessamine said, bowing her head in a nod. “And thank you for your silence.”

“Don’t worry about it,” Mindy said, leaning on the shovel. “Now get out of here. I have a body to bury.”

Jessamine left the cellar. With the power cut to the rails, it was easy to get to the other side of the carriage and climb in. The sound of the carriage starting alerted the guards, but Jessamine was already in motion down the rails. Their shouts faded into the distance as she left.

Looks like she’d have to disable the watchtower to get back. There were certainly going to be guards waiting for her should she return by the same route. Jessamine settled against the seat, watching Addermire loom closer under the rising storm front.

*   
Jessamine scanned the landing area warily. She wondered if the guards at the Carriage House had sent word ahead of someone stealing a tram. Or perhaps there was a lookout watching the rails for people trying to invade.

But as the tram pulled up, there was nothing but a prerecorded announcement and abandoned luggage.

The front door was a terrible idea. It was likely guarded. But places like these always had side entrances for the help. Jessamine headed off to the east, watching for guards. It was a quick Jump to the awning over the door, and then from there to an open window. Jessamine sneered at the guard who never bothered to look up as she passed by overhead. After the attempted coup, Corvo had taken to ambushing their guards from above to “keep them on their toes”. Gerome and the Twins had gleefully joined in, and soon the Royal Guard had learned to keep an eye on ledges and statuary. Clearly the practice hadn’t spread to the other Isles.

As she higher, the hairs on the back of her neck rose. There was something very wrong here. The guards were on edge, whispering to each other about a monster stalking the halls. The captains would come by and try to stop the gossip, but if there was one thing Jessamine knew, it was that dread made people congregate, and groups of people need to talk.

Jessamine prowled to the roof. As she neared another wing of the building, she began to hear the faint noises of the ocean. Waves crashing on the shore, or perhaps blood pounding in your ears when you go too deep.

_ Find me in Karnaca _ , the Outsider had said. Jessamine’s heart sped up. If there was one place she was most likely to find him, it was near a shrine. The god was certainly vain enough to be found there.

Hoping, praying to find him, Jessamine closed her eyes and Jumped.

“Well. I was expecting you quite a bit earlier, my dear.”

Jessamine released a shaking breath.

“Outsider,” she breathed, opening her eyes.

The Outsider laughed, dark and bitter. “Not quite.”

The god was perched on one of his shrines like it was a throne. He had an elbow braced on his knee and his chin resting on his hand, watching her with his dark eyes. Jessamine frowned.

Instead of the endless black from lid to lid, the Outsider had what looked to be black irises. He was still older, taller than she was and dressed in similar clothing, but the quality of his voice was different. Human, instead of the strange, surreal echo that she could never quite put into words.

“...Abantes?” Jessamine asked, hesitant now. He smiled a little. It was the Outsider’s smile, always just a little detached.

“Not quite,” he said, softer now. “But it will do.” He hopped off of the shrine and caught her face in his hands. “It is… good to see you, Jessamine Kaldwin.” He brushed a cool thumb along her cheek in a caress, then let her go.

Jessamine closed her eyes against the hot tears threatening to spill forth.

“I’ve been so alone,” she whispered, burying her face in his jacket. Abantes gently placed a hand on her lower back and stroked along her spine.

“I know,” he murmured, pressing a kiss to her hair. “I could not come to you, and for that, I apologise.  _ She _ was interfering, and I had to evade her.”

Jessamine looked up at him. “You mean De-”

The Outsider’s eyes widened and he clapped a hand over her mouth. “Do  _ not _ speak her name,” he told her urgently. “The last thing I want is to have you draw her attention.”

Jessamine stared at him as he pulled his hand away. “Abantes, or Outsider, or whatever you go by right now,  _ what is going on?” _

“Abantes is fine,” he said. He pulled away and began to pace, his hands clasped behind his back.

“ _ She’s _ lived clawing her way up from the very bottom using wit and guile for decades, and now she’s at the very top. But the new Empress of the Isles had bigger plans. Her new masterpiece in the Tower is quite something.” His lips twisted into an irritated expression. “Her roots have twisted into the Void, corrupting everything they touch. I don't like it.”

Jessamine stared flatly at Abantes. “That explains nothing,” she told him, flatly. Abantes chuckled.

“Put plainly, she wants to rule the Void.”

Jessamine's jaw dropped. “Is that even possible?” Trying to control the Void had always seemed as possible as controlling the storms. Even the Outsider could only corral it, never direct it.

“I don't know,” he sighed. I cannot reach it anymore. It changed after I was… detained.” He looked up, holding her gaze. “Recently, it's become somewhat fixated on  _ you _ , my dear.”

Jessamine leaned back against the desk, stunned. “Me? Why?”

“Because,” Abantes said, leaning into her space. “You are a fascinating woman, my dear Jessamine.”

Jessamine rolled her eyes. “In four thousand years, I'm certain there have been others just as  _ fascinating _ as I am. If not more.”

Abantes pressed a kiss to the side of her neck. “There have been others that were charming, or fearless, or filled with an incredible capacity to love. But none have been all three and brilliant as well.”

“Flatterer,” she said, smiling and gently pushing him away. He didn’t budge, of course, but she felt his lips curve up against her skin. “Now then. I have to go speak to Doctor Hypatia and find Anton. I suppose I’ll see you when I’m next near a shrine?” The statement tipped up into a question. With the god in his unique state, she wasn’t sure if he was still restricted to places where reality was thin.

The Outsider just pressed closer and disappeared into a swirl of shadow. The now-familiar, cool presence filled her mind.

_ Cut off from the Void as I am _ , he whispered,  _ I am no longer shackled by my responsibilites. Let us see what has ailed the great alchemist, my dear. _

“Well, don’t distract me when I’m sneaking,” Jessamine told him. “Though I suppose this is better than you bobbing along behind me like a cryptic balloon.”

_ I am older than your Empire, _ Abantes snipped, offended.  _ I do not “bob”. _

Jessamine laughed, slipping out of the room and exploring one more. Despite trying to retrace her steps, she still became turned around.

“How in the world do the workers here not get lost,” she muttered.

_ There are maps,  _ Abantes said.  _ Presumably. _

Jessamine snorted. “ _ Presumably _ doesn't help much, my lad.”

Abantes rolled her eyes, which was incredibly disorienting when it wasn’t her doing it. Jessamine stumbled a little.

“Abantes, I told you not to do that,” she chided. Whatever his response was going to be was lost, however, as she rounded a corner and nearly stepped in a puddle of blood and viscera.

Jessamine recoiled, covering her mouth and nose as her stomach roiled.

“Now this is interesting,” Abantes said, materializing beside her. He crouched down and peered at the corpse. It looked like the man had been tortured, and some of him even looked... _ gnawed. _ Jessamine lost the battle with her stomach and dry heaved. She groaned, her forehead braced against a relatively clean patch of the wall, trying to breathe only through her mouth.

She jumped at a cool touch to her nape. Abantes began to pull away, but she caught his hand and returned it to her neck.

“Is this a human thing?”

Jessamine coughed. “Disgust at seeing such carnage? Yes,” she said. “This is a human thing. How could someone--”

Abantes shifted so that he blocked her view of the body. “This place is corrupted. I believe the Void has leaked through. This corpse has a residue, an imprint of the Void. Whoever killed it was either a denizen, or being ridden by one.”

Jessamine twisted so she could press her face against his chest, fighting back a pounding headache. “Riding someone? Like those things that were in Corvo?”

“Yes,” he said, “Very much like. They shouldn’t, however be able to cross the boundary between the Void and your reality. Certainly not on their own. Something is very wrong in Karnaca, and I am certain this all ties in with  _ Her _ .”

“I’ll add it to the list of things I hate Deli- I mean, hate her for then, shall I?”

Abantes disappeared into her mind again.  _ Let us go see what is happening in the heart of this institution, shall we? _

Jessamine steeled herself and looked upwards. “Let’s.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next:  
> Showdown with Grim Alex, Abantesider has a snack, and Meagan is Very Uncomfortable with her new guest.


End file.
